Reds eliminated in NL Central

The chances had become slim for the Reds to win the National League Central race. Now they are none. After a 1-0 defeat to the Mets that had them drop two of three in the series, the first-place Cardinals took a 4-1 victory over the Nationals for a three-game series sweep.

That means the Reds are definitely playing a Wild Card game on Tuesday. The location remains TBD.

The Pirates lost at Chicago, where leaves the Cardinals magic number to clinch the division at 1.

It comes down to this: if the Reds take two of three from the Pirates this weekend, the Wild Card game will be at GABP. If the Pirates take two of three, PNC Park hosts it. If Pittsburgh sweeps the Reds, and the Cardinals get swept by the Cubs, they would be tied for first and force a Monday one-game playoff for the division. The winner of that game would host the Reds in the Wild Card game Tuesday.

Other items:

*Jeremy Warneumuende will have the game story today on Reds.com/MLB.com. Click here to read it.

*Click herefor my story on Billy Hamilton being caught stealing for the first time in the Majors.

*That was the 11th time the Reds have been shutout this year.

*Mat Latos took the loss but reached a new career-high with 210 2/3 innings pitched. He finished with 187 strikeouts, two shy of his career best from 2010 with the Padres.

*The Reds attendance of 26,223 pushed the 2013 home total to 2,371,103 fans for 2013 — a new GABP record that broke the old mark from the first year of the stadium in 2003.

The reds should insist votto play in the AIL this winter and learn how to hit pitches that are strikes but outside his comfort zone for singles. He is not paid for walking 5 times in a game but for driving in the tying or winning runs in the 8th or 9th innings. 80 RBIs for the year is not acceptable.

Actually, I misspoke. I would love to read your piece directly after the Reds win game #7 of the World Series. I suspect that may well be your best piece of the season. Guess it’s up to the boys now to put you in the position, eh?

Our SP, BP and fielding has been highly successful and highly predictable.
Our lineup and hitting has been hot and cold and highly unpredictable.
It will all come down to our plate discipline, situational hitting and ball contact, as
it has for several seasons now. Losing 1-0 to a very poor team is a stellar example
of the team’s obvious and dreadful plate performance.

i think votto has to get of his anti depressants! i mean after vottos father died he was out for depression and we know damn well doctors push pills for that condition, even then the emotion-less votto has become walking dead its like hes not really there. i know this because i used to be on them for over ten years. i mean the reds had to know this goin before that contract and be aware what these pills do! and the more votto doesnt preform the way HE thinks he should the depression will get worse and the dose will get higher. i could barely do my job on them much less hit mlb pitching for 162 games when u feel like ur minds a doom and gloom! i hope my boy gets it together!!! c’mon joey its gotta be hard havin that weight on ur shoulders as a superstar no kids no wife. money isnt everything i think he needs to do some searchin to get himself back right hope the offseason without baseball this year does just that!!! #getwelljoey#

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